Team-based battle board game

ABSTRACT

A board game is provided including a plurality of characters grouped into teams. In some embodiments, the characters include main characters and sub-characters. The main characters and the sub-characters may be linked together by a feature. At least one of the teams may affect the play options of one of the other teams.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims priority under 35 U.S.C. 119(e) to U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 60/632,694 entitled “TEAM-BASED BATTLE BOARD GAME,” filed Dec. 1, 2004, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference.

BACKGROUND

The present disclosure relates generally to board games, and more specifically, to battle games with movable player tokens. Examples of such games are found in U.S. Pat. Nos. 970,993; 3,794,326; 4,120,503; 4,192,512; 4,227,695; 4,309,036; 4,346,897; 4,373,731; 4,415,160; 4,443,011; 4,563,011; 5,026,069; 5,026,070; 5,067,722; 5,221,084; 5,388,837; 5,476,264; 5,570,887; 5,820,126; 5,879,005; 5,954,332; 6,481,714; 6,575,463; U.S. Patent Application Publication Nos. 2003/0067115; 2003/0080506; 2003/0127800; and United Kingdom Patent No. GB 2,203,355, the disclosures of which are incorporated herein by reference, in their entirety and for all purposes.

SUMMARY

The disclosed board game includes a plurality of player pieces grouped into teams. One or more of the teams may have movement options. One option may be to alter movement options available to another team. The teams may be comprised of various combinations of main character pieces and sub-character pieces, each having one or a variety of features. The sub-character pieces may be linked to or associated with one or more of the main character pieces by one or more of the features.

Advantages of the disclosed board game may be understood more readily after a consideration of the drawings and the Detailed Description.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an exemplary game including a game board, player pieces, random indicia generators, and markers.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of another exemplary game including a game board, player pieces, random indicia generators, and markers.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart illustrating an exemplary method of game play using either of the games of FIGS. 1 and 2.

FIG. 4 depicts variations in the game board and player pieces of the game of FIG. 2.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION AND BEST MODE

A team-based game 10 in which a plurality of player pieces or characters 12 are grouped into teams is shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. The characters may each be associated with a value. The value may be indicated on the character, or it may be indicated on another device, such as noting it on note paper.

At least one team may include more than one type of character. For example, in some versions of the game, characters 12 may include main characters 14 and sub-characters 16. Some teams may be comprised of all main characters, all sub-characters, or a combination thereof. In one example of the game, a first team is comprised of a main character and a plurality of sub-characters. The number of teams formed and the particular combinations of main characters and sub-characters may be varied to alter the complexity of the game.

The different types of characters 12 may be associated together by one or a variety of features 18. For example, a feature of a sub-character may be associated with a feature of an associated main character. For example, the different characters may have a common indicia indicative of a particular team. The features may be represented on the characters or on a board 20 having spaces 22, or may be recorded using note paper, or other indicating device.

In some versions of the game, features 18 may include a power level or value 24. The power level may determine a character and/or a team's ability to select or perform a particular play option. For example, a character's power level may indicate its available energy or capacity to attack another character and/or team. The power level may be determined in any appropriate way, such as by rolling at least one die 34, or by operation of another indicia generator. For example, a player associated with a main character may roll a die to determine the number of sub-characters that may be moved and the number of board spaces across which a sub-character piece may move. Accordingly, one or more of dice 34 may be numbered and one or more of them may have indicia other than, or in addition to, number value indicators, such as graphic symbols.

The power level may be set to a default value during various stages of the game or may depend on a board space 22 occupied by a character. A character's power level 24 may be represented by a power meter 26 on board 20 and may be adjustable using a variety of selectively movable markers 28. For example, the markers may be placed on spaces along their respective power meters.

Power level 24 may be associated with board spaces 22 in that one or more of the board spaces is associated with a value that defines a threshold that a character must have for moving onto that board space.

Features 18 optionally may include a life level or value 30. The life level may indicate the ability of a character and/or team to withstand an attack from another character and/or team. The life level of a character or a team may be a default value, a value dependant on the position of a character on a board space 22, or may be determined using a value selection device, such as a random indicia generator. Life level 30 for a character or team may be represented by a life meter 32 on board 20 and may be adjustable using a variety of selectively movable markers 28. For example, the markers may be placed on spaces along their respective life meters.

A life meter may be used to keep track of the life points for each character. For example, the life meter may be a scale made of a series of board spaces indicating values in a range of values. A life marker is initially placed at a particular location along the life meter for each character, such as at the maximum value or at a midpoint. As the life points are reduced, the life marker is moved appropriately along the meter to reflect the decrease in points. The life points may also be tracked using chips, tokens, electronic or mechanical counters, and the like, on the board or on a player piece. Once all of the life points have been reduced to zero, the corresponding player piece may be removed from the board.

At least one of the teams may be able to affect one or more play options of at least one other team. Whether a team may affect the play options of other teams may depend on the actions that team takes. For example, if a first team chooses a particular play option, such as to attack a second team, the second team may have a different set of available play options than if the first team had chosen not to attack.

The life level 30 of each main character and/or team may determine how play progresses, such as determining which play options are available to a character or team at a particular time. For example, if a player elects to power its sub-characters, as previously described, that player may be required to give up a predetermined amount of life points. The amount of life points required may be determined by the die roll used to determine the power level. If a player's team has insufficient life points, the move may not be completed. An opponent may be defeated by reducing its life points to zero.

As mentioned above and illustrated by the exemplary configurations shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, game 10 may include a board 20 that is divided into a plurality of board spaces 22. Each board space may be associated with a power level 24. The power level may indicate a characteristic of play, such as the corresponding power that a player piece needs in order to move to that board space. Random indicia generators 34 may be used by the respective teams or characters to determine an outcome of a challenge or attack.

During game play, a first team may be formed from a main character 14 and several sub-characters 16. The sub-characters may be linked to the main character by having the same life points or other common feature 18. The game may include several main characters that are substantially equal in terms of life points and form a second team. The characters in this second team may play towards a common goal, such as defeating the first team or another team, such as a third team including a competing group of main characters. The first and second teams may represent a theme, such as good versus evil, depending on the particular form of the game.

The game may be initially set up by distributing the player pieces across the board. Some pieces may have particular positions. For example, the sub-characters may be positioned around their corresponding main character in a protective configuration, positioned at predetermined board locations, positioned as determined by random indicia generators, or positioned as a player chooses. Any of these positions may be determined by one or more players or by indicia imprinted on the board spaces.

The game may be started by a particular character or team. For example, the second team may always go first. The player associated with the main character of the team playing has at least two options in how to proceed. The player may attempt to increase his or her main character's life value or may manipulate the action of the sub-characters. For example, the player associated with the second team may choose to generate life values for his or her own main character, or may choose to use existing life values to move the sub-characters along the board to attack the opposing team.

FIG. 3 illustrates an exemplary method of game play. Once the board and teams have been set up 100, a first team selects a play option 102. For example, the first team may choose to power its weapons or sub-characters 104, may choose to alter the power values of the board spaces 106, or may choose to increase its own life value 108. If a character on the second team occupies a board space adjacent a character of the first team, the second team may have to initiate an attack on the first team. For example, if the first team also powered its weapon or sub-characters, the second team may be required to attack an adjacent first team character 110. If the first team opted to alter the power values associated with the board spaces, the second team may be required to attain a higher power value to move onto a board space 112.

To generate life points or move the player pieces, players may use any suitable random indicia generator, such as one or more dice, spinners, electronic indicia generators, and the like, or a combination thereof. The indicia may include numbers, words, pictures, or a combination thereof.

In some versions, a method of playing the team-based board game includes forming a first team having a first set of play options and represented by a first set of characters, forming a second team having a second set of play options and represented by a second set of characters, arranging at least a portion of the first and second sets of characters on spaces of a game board, selecting a play option from the first set of play options, and determining a subset of play options from the second set of play options, wherein the selected play option defines a threshold to determining the subset of play options.

The method may include assigning a power level to one or more characters in the first set of characters and the first set of play options includes the option of altering the power level of at least one character. The power level may be temporarily altered. The method may include assigning a life level to one or more characters in the first set of characters, altering the power level of one character, and altering the life level of the at least one character proportionally to the alteration in the power level. The altered power level may define the threshold such that the second team must obtain a power level higher than the altered power level to attack the corresponding character.

One or more of the spaces may be associated with a power value, and the first set of play options may include altering one or more of the board space power values. The altered board space power value may define the threshold such that the second team must obtain a higher power value than the altered board space power value to move a character onto the associated space.

In another version of playing a team-based board game, the method may include forming a first team including at least one main character and at least one sub-character, forming a second team including a plurality of main characters, arranging at least a portion of the first and second teams on spaces of a game board, assigning a first play option having an associated threshold value to one or more characters of the first team, wherein each sub-character is linked to one or more main characters by a feature, and assigning a second play option to one or more characters of the second team, wherein assignment of the second play option is dependent upon meeting the threshold value associated with the first play option.

The method may include that each space of the game board is associated with a threshold value. Each threshold value may be imprinted on the game board. The threshold value may be determined by the first play option. The method may include determining a random indicia and comparing the random indicia to the threshold value. The feature may be a life level that determines how many attacks each sub-character can withstand. A character having a life level of zero may be removed from the game. The feature may be a power value that determines whether an attack will be successful. The attack may be successful if an attacking character has an attack value greater than the power value of a character being attacked.

In some versions, the team-based game may include a first group of player pieces including at least one main character having a plurality of features and at least one sub-character having a plurality of features, wherein a feature of the at least one sub-character is linked to a feature of the at least one main character; a second group of player pieces including one or more main character pieces having a plurality of features; and a board having a plurality of board spaces, at least a portion of the board spaces being adapted to represent at least one feature of the first group and at least one feature of the second group.

The board spaces may include a region for representing the at least one feature for each character of the second group. The board spaces may include a single region for representing the at least one feature for the second group. The game may include one or more markers adapted to be placed on the at least a portion of the board spaces to represent the at least one feature of the first and second groups.

Example Game 1

In one example of the game, players take on the roles of their favorite heroes, such as from Hiroyuki Takei's Shaman Kings™, namely, Yoh, Len, Rio, and Trey, or that of a villain, such as En Tao. The heroes must battle their way through the villain's underlings, such as zombies, to defeat the villain. In such an example, the game may take the form shown in FIG. 1. The random indicia generators 34 may be standard six-sided dice with typical pips or other symbols.

Life meter 32 for each character may be a strip of spaces along the edge of the board and may be adjusted by movement of markers 28 along the spaces. Life points may initially be set to a predetermined value. For example, one marker may be placed at the maximum end of each Shaman hero's life meter. One marker may be placed mid-way along En Tao's life meter.

The game may be commenced by placing the zombie movers over corresponding starting spaces on the board, which may be indicated by a particular color or indicia.

The villain team may have two choices, it may attempt to increase its life value or it may power its underlings on the board so they may move and attack the heroes. If the villain wishes to increase its life value, then one or more attack dice, such as three dice, are rolled. Various combinations may correlate to predetermined life value points. For example, any pair may correspond to one additional life value point. Three-of-a-kind may result in three more life value points. The villain may only gain life value points while there is at least one underling still on the board.

If the villain elects to power the underlings, a numbered die is rolled to determine the number of underlings that may be moved and the maximum number of spaces each underling may be moved. The die roll may also determine how many life value points it will cost to power the underlings. The villain has the option of deciding not to move any of the underlings if the roll is unsatisfactory.

If an underling occupies a board space adjacent a hero, it may attack that hero. Several underlings may attack one or more heroes at the same time. An attack die is rolled for each underling that is attacking. If a particular indicia is shown, then the attack on the hero is considered to have been successful. The life value for the corresponding hero is then reduced by moving the life marker along the life meter for that hero.

On their turn, the heroes roll a numbered die 34. If the villain did not choose to power its underlings on the previous turn, the underlings' power is a default value, such as two. The board spaces also have a default power level, such as two for each space. In order to move one space, the hero therefore needs to roll a value greater than the power level of a space or an adjacent underling, such as a three or better. Whenever a hero moves into a space adjacent an underling, the hero must battle the underling by rolling the numbered die. If the die roll is greater than the underling's power level, that underling is destroyed and is removed from the game board. The hero then moves onto the underling's space. A hero may keep moving one space at a time until the player fails to roll a number higher than the pre-established power level.

If the villain did power its underlings on the previous turn, whatever number they rolled becomes the power level for the present turn—both for spaces and for battle with the underlings. Therefore the hero must roll a number greater than the power level to move a space. The hero continues to roll the die and move or attack until the hero fails to roll a number that beats the current power level.

Once the heroes advance across the board and reach one of the final board spaces adjacent the villain's hideout, the underling power die roll denotes the power level of the villain. The hero's roll must be greater than this power level in order to damage the villain.

At the start of the villain's turn, the villain makes three attacks. The corresponding player declares which hero is being attacked before rolling the die. Typically, only one hero may be attacked at a time, although it should be appreciated that the number may be split to attack several heroes at once. The villain rolls three dice, each of which includes one or more hit symbols. Any time the hit symbol is rolled, the villain scores one hit against the targeted hero.

The game is over either when the villain has depleted all of the heroes' life values, or when the heroes have depleted all of the villain's life values.

Example Game 2

In another version of the game, a first player controls a first team that includes a main character and a plurality of sub-characters. The first team may include other components, such as weapons. The remaining players control a second team of main characters. Each character and component may have an associated power level. Each team may have a different objective. For example, the first team may have to reduce the power level of each character of the second team to a particular value, such as to zero, to win the game. The second team may have to reduce the power level of one or more of the characters of the first team to zero, or may have to reduce the power level of one or more weapons to zero, to win the game.

The board may include indicia to indicate starting positions for one or more of the character and/or weapon pieces. Each game component may be limited to predetermined movements along the board spaces. For example, some pieces may not be allowed to move diagonally or may not be allowed to move into particular spaces.

Markers may be placed on each power meter to keep track of the power level for each game component. For example, each weapon in the first team and each character of the second team may be associated with a respective power meter. The power value of some components, such as weapons, may be alterable throughout the game by the corresponding team.

Board spaces, main characters, sub-characters, and weapons each may be associated with a power value that determines how much of an attack each piece can withstand. The power values may be set to default values at the beginning of each round or may carry over from a prior round of play. The first team may choose to alter one or more power values at various stages of the game, such as at the beginning of each round of play. The power values of each component may be separately determined or may be linked together. For example, the characters, weapons, and board spaces may all have the same quantity for their respective power values.

Each team and/or character may be associated with a random indicia generator, such as a die. The random indicia generator may be used to determine the power levels. For example, the power levels may be set to the result of a die roll, or may result from a mathematical function related to an indicia showing as a result of a die roll. In some versions of the game, defensive power values may be at least a predetermined value regardless of the value determined by the random indicia generator.

The game may begin with the first team deciding whether to alter the power level of game components. For example, the first team may attempt to increase the power values if the first team thinks it will be attacked, or it may alter the power level of the weapons or characters so that it may attack the second team. The power levels may also be used to determine how the members of the first team may move across the game board.

Attacks may be initiated by merely declaring an attack or by meeting a predetermined criteria. For example, a game component may be required to enter the board space of another component in order to attack. The success of an attack may depend on additional dice rolls, or may be based on a comparison between each component's respective power levels. For example, an attacking player may roll a die to determine an attack value. If the attack value is greater than the opposing component's power value, then the attack is successful and the power level of the attacked component is reduced. The attacking player may be allowed to roll multiple dice and either combine the result to attack a single opposing piece, or split the result to attack multiple pieces.

In some instances, sub-characters may not have individual power levels. Consequently, a sub-character may be beaten if the attack value is greater than an associated main character's power level.

If a member of the second team is within a predetermined vicinity of a member of the first team, the member of the second team may be required to attack. The member of the second team may not be allowed to move to a different board space until all available attacks have been successfully completed.

In an exemplary game using the game components shown in FIG. 2, a Batman character may battle against a Ra's al Ghul character's ninja army characters. One player is Ra's al Ghul and controls all the ninjas. The other players control the plurality of Batman characters. Ra's al Ghul's objective is to reduce the life level of all Batman characters to zero. The Batman players' objective is to reduce the life level of Ra's al Ghul's weapon, such as a cannon, to zero, but may or may not have to eliminate all the ninjas.

The Batman and ninja characters, and the weapon pieces are placed on their corresponding board spaces. A marker is placed on the power meter for each corresponding piece. Some characters may have a corresponding power meter 32, as depicted in FIG. 4. The power meter may include a movable component that cycles through a range of values indicating an associated feature. For example, the movable component may rotate or slide to alter a displayed value within a range of values.

At the beginning of every round, the weapon, ninjas, and all empty board spaces have a default power level 24, such as two. As shown in FIG. 4, some board spaces may have a different default power level, such as three or four. The Batman players must roll a number greater than the power value associated with a board space to move into that board space or to successfully attack a ninja or weapon on the board space.

Ra's al Ghul may choose to increase the life level of the weapon(s) and/or the power values to make it more difficult for Batman to move or attack. The Batman and ninja pieces may not move diagonally, share the same board space, or move through spaces designated for a weapon. Ninja playing pieces may move through each other, but not through the Batman pieces. Batman pieces may not move through each other or the ninja pieces. Game play may progress as previously described until one team is determined to be the winner.

It is believed that the disclosure set forth above encompasses multiple distinct inventions with independent utility. While each of these inventions has been disclosed in its preferred form, the specific embodiments thereof as disclosed and illustrated herein are not to be considered in a limiting sense as numerous variations are possible. The subject matter of the inventions includes all novel and non-obvious combinations and subcombinations of the various elements, features, functions and/or properties disclosed herein. Similarly, where any claim recites “a” or “a first” element or the equivalent thereof, such claim should be understood to include incorporation of one or more such elements, neither requiring nor excluding two or more such elements.

Inventions embodied in various combinations and subcombinations of features, functions, elements, and/or properties may be claimed through presentation of new claims in a related application. Such new claims, whether they are directed to a different invention or directed to the same invention, whether different, broader, narrower or equal in scope to the original claims, are also regarded as included within the subject matter of the inventions of the present disclosure. 

1. A method of playing a team-based game comprising: forming a first team having a first set of play options and represented by a first set of characters, the first set of play options including at least a first play option of defining a threshold value; forming a second team having a second set of play options and represented by a second set of characters, at least a portion of the second set of play options having an associated value; arranging at least a portion of the first and second sets of characters on spaces of a game board; selecting and performing the first play option; and determining a subset of play options from the second set of play options having associated values with a given relationship to the threshold value.
 2. The method of claim 1, further comprising assigning a power level to one or more characters in the first set of characters, wherein the first play option includes altering the power level of at least one character, and further comprising altering the power level of the at least one character.
 3. The method of claim 2, wherein altering the power level includes altering the power level temporarily.
 4. The method of claim 2, further comprising assigning a life level to one or more characters in the first set of characters, and altering the power level includes altering the life level of at least one character proportionally to the alteration of the power level.
 5. The method of claim 2, further comprising setting the threshold equal to the altered power level, and determining a subset of play options includes determining an option of attacking the at least one character with a power level higher than the altered power level.
 6. The method of claim 1, where one or more of the spaces is associated with a power value and the first set of play options includes altering one or more of the board space power values, and further comprising altering one or more of the board space power values.
 7. The method of claim 6, further comprising setting the threshold value to the altered board space power value, the second team obtaining a higher power value than the altered board space power value, and moving a character in the second set of characters onto another space.
 8. A method of playing a team-based board game comprising: forming a first team including at least one main character and at least one sub-character; forming a second team including a plurality of main characters; arranging at least a portion of the first and second teams on spaces of a game board; assigning a first play option to one or more characters of the first team, wherein each sub-character and one or more main characters have a common play-related feature determined during performance of the first play option; assigning a second play option to one or more characters of the second team, each assigned second play option being dependent upon meeting a threshold value associated with each play option; and playing the first team according to the feature.
 9. The method of claim 8, wherein each space of the game board is associated with a threshold value.
 10. The method of claim 9, wherein the threshold value is imprinted on a plurality of the spaces.
 11. The method of claim 8, further comprising determining the threshold value during performance of the first play option.
 12. The method of claim 8, further comprising performing the second play option by determining a random value and performing an action if the random value exceeds the threshold value.
 13. The method of claim 8, wherein the second play option is to attack one or more characters of the first team with one or more characters of the second team by rolling a die for each character and determining a successful attack based on the die, and wherein the feature is a life level of each character and sub-character of the first team, the method further comprising limiting how many attacks each sub-character can withstand to the life level.
 14. The method of claim 13, further comprising removing a character having a life level of zero from the game.
 15. The method of claim 8, wherein the second play option is to attack one or more characters of the first team with one or more characters of the second team by rolling a die for each character and determining a successful attack based on the die, and wherein the feature is a power value of each character and sub-character of the first team, the method further comprising determining whether an attack is successful by comparing the value on the die to the power value.
 16. The method of claim 15, further comprising determining an attack to be successful when an attacking character has a die value greater than the power value of a character being attacked.
 17. A team-based game comprising: a first group of player pieces including at least one main character having a first plurality of play-related features and at least one sub-character having a second plurality of play-related features, wherein at least one feature of the at least one sub-character is related to at least one feature of the at least one main character; a second group of player pieces including one or more main character pieces having a third plurality of play-related features; and a board having a plurality of board spaces, at least a first portion of the board spaces being adapted to represent at least one feature of each of the first and second pluralities of features, and a second portion of the board spaces being adapted to represent at least one feature of the third plurality of features.
 18. The game of claim 17, further comprising one or more selectively movable markers adapted to be placed on the at least a first and second portions of the board spaces to represent at least one of the first, second, and third pluralities of features.
 19. The game of claim 17, wherein the second group of player pieces includes a movable component adapted to indicate at least one of the third plurality of features.
 20. The game of claim 19, wherein the movable component is adapted to rotate through a range of values. 